Hypholoma fasciculare

Oak curtain crust.

Emerging fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on sweet chestnut in London, UK.
Fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on oak in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Fruit bodies in a wild cherry cavity in Laindon, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies adjacent to Xylaria polymorpha on oak in Pitsea, UK.
The gills of a maturing fruit body.
The gills and stem of a mature fruit body.

Emerging fruit bodies on sweet chestnut in London, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on sweet chestnut in London, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on sweet chestnut in London, UK.
Fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on oak in the New Forest, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies on beech in the New Forest, UK.
Fruit bodies in a wild cherry cavity in Laindon, UK.
Emerging fruit bodies adjacent to Xylaria polymorpha on oak in Pitsea, UK.
The gills of a maturing fruit body.
The gills and stem of a mature fruit body.

Common name

Sulphur tuft.

Often found on

A wide range of broadleaved tree species.

Sometimes found on

Coniferous tree species.

Location

Usually found at and around the base of standing trees though on fallen trees and tree parts it may fruit along the stem.

Description

Annual cap. Usually found fruiting in dense clusters. Upper cap surface a sulphur yellow with a darker centre and dome-shaped. Gills begin light yellow but turn dark grey-brown from spore. Stem yellow.

Confused with

Armillaria spp. (become much larger and have white spore).

Significance

Considered saprotrophic. Attributed to a white rot of the wood substrate. On living trees, presence may indicate physiological decline and/or root damage.